Tour news: Tool, Bloc Party

American musicians Tool are returning to New Zealand. Photo / Supplied

American art metal band Tool are returning to New Zealand for their first solo headlining show in more than a decade.

The band, fronted by singer Maynard James Keenan, have been regular visitors to New Zealand, having taken top billing at the Big Day Out in 2007 and 2011.

But their show at Vector Arena on May 8 will be their first solo concert since playing North Shore Events Centre in April, 2001, in support of third album Lateralus.

The band will take a break from recording their fifth album, the follow-up to 2006's 10,000 Days, to tour New Zealand and Australia and support Black Sabbath at Ozzfest in Japan.

TimeOut talked to guitarist Adam Jones and bass player Justin Chancellor last week; they refused to divulge much about the new album - or say when it would be out.

"We're currently involved in the biggest project of our lives," is all Chancellor would reveal.

Presale tickets go on sale February 14 and 15 and general sales from Ticketmaster on February 19.

Also returning to New Zealand are British indie post-punk rockers Bloc Party who last played here in 2007 at the TelstraClear Pacific Events Centre, which was one of the concerts of the year.

The show was in support of second album A Weekend in the City and they played songs such as Banquet and Helicopter from their acclaimed debut Silent Alarm.

Fronted by singer Kele Okereke, the band released their fourth album, Four, last year and play the Powerstation on March 7.

Tickets go on sale tomorrow at 9am from Ticketmaster.

Two of music's most distinctive voices are also heading this way. Jon Anderson, the founder and former lead singer of prog rock veterans Yes, performs two "intimate" solo shows on April 17 at Auckland's SkyCity Theatre and Wellington's St James Theatre on April 20. Tickets on sale from Ticketek.

And secondly, American singer-songwriter Rickie Lee Jones, perhaps best known for her 1979 hit Chuck E's in Love, plays the Bruce Mason Centre on March 15 as part of her The Devil You Know Tour.

Tickets on sale February 12 from Ticketmaster. For presale information click here.

Making their first trip to New Zealand are US reggae eight-piece band Soja, who play the Powerstation on April 9.

Since forming in Arlington, Virginia, in 1997 they have been playing a socially-conscious fusion of roots reggae and rock. Tickets from Ticketmaster and Real Groovy.